The Kurdish initiative towards democratic change on the basis of unity and diversity

The Syrian crisis deepened amid blind violence exceeding all limits, in a way pushing the country towards the unknown in the absence of any objective and serious solutions. It is essentially beyond being just a crisis of the regime or the rule or authority, and has moved towards being a comprehensive structural crisis that stems from the unilateral nationalist approach based on the concept of the nation state, which contains within it the seeds of denial and domination and chauvinism which has ruled Syria for almost half a century. This is inconsistent with the fundamental attributes of our era that is known as the era of the democratic peoples.

Despite the diversity and multiplicity of components of the origins of this society – Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians and others – and the multiplicity of religions, sects and languages​​, since its independence the Syrian modern state brought with it the seeds of authoritarianism as a product of its nationalism and chauvinism that prevented the democratic transformation, and the reduced the number of recognised ethnic identities and political affiliations as per. the identity of the authoritarian rulers, and the problem of the real recognition of citizens’ identity emerged. That was followed by periods of darkness of denial of others under the slogans of chauvinism and banners of fanatical and exclusive nationalism, which caused paralysis in the driving forces developing the Syrian society and stifled development. This reflected authoritarianism, and strangled the country in a security State that marginalized citizens and grabbed his free will to represent his true identity, which turned Syria to a big prison for forcibly melting components without any attention or respect for the fact of Syria’s authentic pluralism.

The transformation of the State in this terrible way and the regime’s use of all the capabilities of the country for the development of its powers, and the control of chauvinist thought by the Baath Party, as well as an insistence on Arabisation rather than admitting the fact of the cultural, social, ethnic and religious components of Syrian society constituted the seeds of the crisis that often erupted and had been controlled using tools of enormous repression, although there has been a recent explosion in the popular movement that developed and has lasted for more than three years.

There is no longer room for doubt that Syria needs democratic revolutionary change rather than just changing the ruler or the regime, or simply being replaced by another, towards a complete intellectual change overall and continuing to include all of the elements that contributed to the creation of this crisis, through the process of innovation and the creation of a new system with new mechanisms and concepts that are compatible with the era of democratic peoples. That means first getting rid of chauvinism and the policy of denial, and the recognition of pluralism and positive inherent diversity in all the components, and to ensure their full constitutional rights are guaranteed through real national institutions that respect the differences between the sons of the same country, to unite their efforts in the framework of the Syrian homeland by their own free consciousness.

It must be stressed in relation to the Syria issue and the Syria solution, and from here we can see very clearly if we take the available data into account, that the solution lies in the embodiment of democracy in building a pluralistic decentralised Syria, regulating the relationship between agreed components of the national Constitution that combines the Syrian identity without exclusion or domination or denial, and brings more freedoms for all components of the community in order to be more effective. In the context of the correct understanding of this construction, this means moving away entirely from the erroneous logic of ‘part sacrifice for the sake of the whole’, and instead relying on working to save the part and the whole together. Here we should emphasize that in the proper relationship between all Syria and each component part, no-one can be free as long as freedom is prevented for any of its parts.

The basic principles of the project for a democratic solution:Solving the Syrian issue, despite the enormity of the multiple levels of external interventions which constitutes a key solution, the Syrian solution must be democratic, and this requires the adoption of a political solution, and rejection of violence and sectarian divisive attitudes, whatever level of it and the sources, to pave the way towards Syria’s unified, free and democratic future, and from here all the forces of change and revolution should emphasise the democratic rights of the Syrians on the one hand, and each of its components individually and in groups on the other hand.

Considering that pluralism is a kind of richness, not an excuse for division, this is what requires everyone to confirm their commitment to the right of free citizenship, and to securing ways to construct a free and democratic citizen with genuine identity and belonging who will strongly go to protect each person’s identity and existence, and belonging.

This means holding the components of the Syrian national identity, while retaining their natural right to protect their particularity within the framework of voluntary free union in the middle of a democracy that allows this pluralism, which is possible through:
1 – Syria democratic pluralistic decentralisation
2 – find a democratic solution to the constitutional guarantees of the Kurdish issue, and resolve the issues of nationalities according to international covenants and conventions on Human Rights and additional protocols.

Action Plan:
We will work to put this project out to all opposition forces of different backgrounds and orientations for discussion as a working draft to lead to a common vision to understand the Syrian scene, and then propose the rational, logical and objective, democratic solution to the crisis, noting that this draft is for development and updating through serious participation of the effective Syrian powers on the ground, and will pave the necessary way to discuss the Syrian situation in a democratic, enlightened free Syrian thinking to create the future of the country by the hands of their children.

It is demanded of the national Syrian opposition in all its spectra that they close ranks to be an effective and avant-garde force for change taking its historic responsibility before the people and the country, and we see:
1 – Presentation of this initiative to all the forces, and the spectra of the national opposition;
2 – A committee representing all spectra of the Syrian opposition to draft a national Syrian solution in the period agreed;
3 – Rewrite the project after taking all the notes and discussion, by the Committee concerned;
4 – Convene a national Syrian conference with invitations extend to all opposition parties;
5 – The formation of a Committee emerging from the Conference, representing the opposition in international forums;
6 – Display this project to the Arab League and the United Nations and concerned parties.

It is time that we respond to the cries of children and orphans who have had their bodies torn apart in front of the eyes of their bereaved mothers who dried up the tears as dried blood from the veins of their children. It is time to put an end to the pain of parents who were still searching the rubble for parts of the bodies of their children, which ruptured under barrels of death and shame. Accordingly, we call on all the forces, institutions and Syrian figures to address this project in the spirit of responsibility, which is pushing to resolve the Syrian issue and is considered as a gateway to a comprehensive solution in the region, and will turn into a decisive turning point to bring history back on track.

We believe that this initiative provides a vision to resolve the Syrian issue as a whole, and will ensure that all the components of society resolve the outstanding issues, and we will give all our efforts in this regard.

EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR AFRIN

Life in Afrin

Weekly News Briefing

Jeremy Corbyn issues statement of support for the National Demo

Message from Jeremy Corbyn to Kurdish national demonstration in London:
“I’m sorry not to be able to be with you today, but I send a message of solidarity with today’s demonstration, and with the Kurdish people, under sustained attack across the Middle East.
The conflict in Syria has been the trigger for an onslaught against the Kurdish people, who are defending their autonomy and their rights.
We are watching closely the alarming events that have been unfolding in Turkey in recent weeks, including the killing of civilians and destruction of Kurdish homes.
Any negotiated settlement of the Syrian conflict must include peace and justice for the Kurds, including in Turkey. And the Turkish government needs as a matter of urgency to restart the peace process with the Kurds and respect the rights of all its people.
We call for an end to repression of the Kurds and justice for the Kurdish people throughout the Middle East.”

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